MacnReef Posted January 6, 2003 Author Share Posted January 6, 2003 Here is my 20g with a painted black back and finished stand and canopy. The stand is missing the door for now. There is only two 55W lights on it now. I will have the other 2 around the 21st. I have to wait until I get back from vacation, before I can set it up. Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 30, 2003 Author Share Posted January 30, 2003 Now here is the tank with 3-55W still waiting on the other 03. Link to comment
jc51373 Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 Decent lights...Spend the extra $50 and GET HQI HALIDE!! Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 30, 2003 Author Share Posted January 30, 2003 Lets see, extra fifty, I don't think so. I would have to get fans with range from $20-$50. Then he is still an issue. Now I am going to quote something from IceCap. "Halides are hot, energy wasting, expensive, emit dangerous UV radiation, subject to constant color shifts (to orange or yellow), and require a cumbersom hood...Halides are recommended by people who sell them." I mean I like halides, I really do, I wish I could get two fans in my canopy and a HQI or mogul but I can't see putting up with the heat. Although, I do have a question, are fans hard to install, do you have to cut out weird patterns to install them? Link to comment
jc51373 Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 Hate to break this to you but the same could be said of those who sell Power Compacts, and ICECRAP is primarily a flourecent ballust company (everyone has an special interest)...But Between you and me the truth of the matter is pound for pound Halides are MORE efficient than PC's. The reason being is it takes far more PC light and size to generate the same lumens as a Halide applications. As far as the heat goes, I understand your concern, they get a little hot but set up properly this should not be as much a problem as you described with a 250w. Although I would say that's overkill on a 20g, you need no more than a 150hqi on that tank. I actually have a 20 g high with 150W HQI (ushio10k) and 2 55w PC's actinics in a custom built hood with a fan on feet. Built by Petsupplyliquidators.com...Works fine, not terribly hot and awesome light spectrum!! In the right application a halide set up can be as pleasing and efficient as any PC set up on the market today..Don't believe the Halide hype. HQI's rock! Link to comment
jc51373 Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 By the way Macnreef...Your tank rocks...Love the set up, great job! Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 30, 2003 Author Share Posted January 30, 2003 Thanx, I have been working hard on it for awhile now. Any suggestions on where to get an HQI retro or maybe you can tell me how you are doing yours, what fan you are using, what bulb on hqi, and how did you build your hood. Also, on your 20, do you run a sump or not? Finally, do you have any pics. Link to comment
jc51373 Posted January 31, 2003 Share Posted January 31, 2003 Sorry I realized after I didn't answer all your questions..I do not have pics yet and don't own Digital Cam..And I am not running a sump on this tank, just a hang on fuge and AquaC protein skimmer and sometimes some carbon to settle Coral warfare..I did not build my lights I bought them from Petsupplyliquidators.com here is what they look like except mine are black....Go to this link and click on CAunltralights. http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/index2.html Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 31, 2003 Author Share Posted January 31, 2003 Cool! I like that fixture. How much does it run? Hang on fuge, is it made by CPR? Link to comment
jc51373 Posted January 31, 2003 Share Posted January 31, 2003 Yeah i got the 12 inch fuge instead of the 18..The 18 took the whole rear of the tank and left me no options to hang anything else. The cost of the fixture depends on what bulbs wattage/quality you have them build it with. It is highly cutomizable..For example, I built it with a 150W HQI with two 55wpc actinic's and could have done a 250w HQI or 2 36w actinic's in any combonation. I also had my fan recessed inside the hood as well. They were a pleasure to deal with too. Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 31, 2003 Author Share Posted January 31, 2003 Ok, so how much did you pay? I am looking at that or something like it or just retrofitting something of my own! Link to comment
SnowReefer Posted February 1, 2003 Share Posted February 1, 2003 I have 65x2 on my 20 g high and thats a little over 6 watts per gallon....any more would be I think overkill. Anything between 5-7 watts per gallon will grow anything you want. Sounds like you have the light thing figured now keep those calcium levels up for good growing stonies...as well as good water flow if you didnt know all ready. Link to comment
MacnReef Posted February 3, 2003 Author Share Posted February 3, 2003 SnowReefer, Any pics of your tank? I have 4-55W pc on it now. May not do the halide thing, not sure! Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.